This invention relates to apparatus for guiding the cutting of work pieces with cutting apparatuses such as band saws and the like, and, more particularly, to a guide apparatus for guiding the cutting of arcs or curved paths or predetermined radii especially in soft, pliable, flexible materials such as foam rubber, or foam synthetic materials.
A requirement in the seating and upholstery industries in recent times has been the cutting of cushions to various contours for use in seating applications such as in automobilies or office and residential furniture. In the past, it has been common to cut a number of such cushions simultaneously using a large band saw or other cutting tool. The several foam blocks or pieces of foam material are stacked or aligned and guided against the moving saw blade by the saw operator who may follow a template or pattern drawn on one of the cushions. The operator typically grasps the stack of cushions and holds them together by hand while moving the cushions against the saw blade.
A problem with such prior cutting procedures is the fact that the foam material, by its very nature, is soft, flexible and pliable. When unsupported or held merely by hand, such material tends to bend and flex out of its aligned, correct position when pressed against the saw blade. Consequently, inaccurate, irregular cuts resulted.
In order to compensate for the flexing of the material, it was often necessary to hold the material extremely close to the saw blade to prevent its gross flexing and bending. Of course, such holding was extremely dangerous and potentially injurious unless the operator of the saw was extremely skilled and/or experienced so as to prevent engagement of his hand with the saw blade.
A concurrent problem with the prior cutting procedures was the inability of the typical saw operator to guide the cushion or stack of cushions accurately and precisely against the saw blade or other cutting tool. Although he typically followed a pattern on the uppermost cushion, it was difficult to follow the path exactly, meaning that the curves were irregular and could not be reproduced repeatedly or on a large scale suitable for mass production purposes. This resulted in frequent re-cutting and disposal of foam material adding to the overall cost of the manufacturing process.
Accordingly, a need has been apparent for an apparatus which allows the precise, accurate cutting of arcs and curves in one or more work pieces, especially those of a soft, pliable, flexible nature such as foam rubber and other materials in a safe and efficient manner.